Whistleblower

Last Updated: May 18, 2017

Definition - What does Whistleblower mean?

The term whistleblower refers to a whistle blown to indicate unlawful or foul play. The term originated from sports. Most whistleblowers are internal, who report misconducts of other employees to their superior. External whistleblowers report misconducts of superiors, in general, to the outside organizations.

Safeopedia explains Whistleblower

The philosophy of whistleblowing varies widely. Some encourage and award the whistleblower, while others treat them as traitors and punish them in many ways. In some cases the whistleblowers do it for personal interests. Many countries have adopted limited protections for whistleblowers. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) enforced a whistleblower protection program protecting employees who report violations of various workplace safety policies and statutes.